The winner and loser of Mike Babcock’s post-Detroit decision comes into sharp relief as the Sabres’ axe falls

Steve Simmons, Postmedia Network04.21.2017

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock speaks to media at the Air Canada Centre this week. His apparent decision to forsake Buffalo for Toronto rumbled into view again Thursday when the Sabres fired their coach and GM.

TORONTO — Mike Babcock was standing in his familiar place at the back of the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room on Thursday having watched and digested the tape of Game 4, his mind racing as it always does, and yet fully understanding the unusual juxtaposition of this hockey morning.

He was talking about Game 5, reflecting back on the first four games of this ultra-competitive playoff series with the Washington Capitals, all the while aware of what went down in Buffalo on Thursday morning.

The place he almost went to coach.

It isn’t something he talks much about, not now, not then, but know this: The Sabres believed they had a deal with Babcock to become their coach. The Leafs believed the same thing — that he was going to Buffalo — so much so that they had Guy Boucher all ready to become their coach. Yet in Buffalo Thursday, general manager Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma were shown the door. Babcock spent the afternoon on a plane to Washington, further preparing for Game 5.

Coaching is forever about making decisions and the word around Buffalo two years ago was Babcock looked hard at the rosters of both the Leafs and Sabres and decided, doing the math and running the rosters, that he preferred the hockey situation in Buffalo to that of Toronto.

The holdup was the living situation. Babcock’s wife preferred downtown life in Yorkville to suburban life in Tonawanda or Lackawanna.

And the wife won.

Babcock now lives in Yorkville, not far from Brendan Shanahan and Lou Lamoriello, they’re all neighbours — and not only did Mr. and Mrs. Babcock win, but Toronto the hockey town won as well.

“I don’t know how close I did anything,” Babcock answered, when I asked him Thursday about the Buffalo determination.

“So I’m the coach of Toronto. Anytime a coach gets a new opportunity to go somewhere else, in some ways, it’s a good opportunity for the coach.

“In other ways, you have to move your family, so that’s tough. As far as evaluating what happened, I’m just surviving here.”

If living in Yorkville, being paid US$6 million a year, coaching the Leafs in the playoffs and probably being up for coach of the year is “just surviving” then the rest of us have a whole lot to worry about.

The combination of Shanahan, Lamoriello and Babcock is now on the list of model franchises for NHL front offices. Buffalo is looking for a coach and general manager and some sense, none of which they have right now. Babcock is trying to figure out a way to slow down the Capitals’ big forwards after his team was physically overwhelmed and mentally undressed at times in Game 4.

What almost happened or didn’t happen in his big move out of Detroit is only relevant now because the Sabres cleaned house after just two years. But what really matters is Friday night. Game 5. It’s not winner take all. It only feels that way.

The winner doesn’t take all: That team just gets in a position to play for series victory.

And for Babcock, who gets excited about most things, he is super-excited about Game 5, especially considering the way the Leafs competed in Game 4.

“We weren’t very good last night and still in the end it was a one-goal game, wasn’t it?” Babcock said in his daily press briefing. That makes you feel great and terrible all at the same time. What is and what could have been. You weren’t good but you were close. That means if the Leafs were a touch better, they might have won.

That was the overwhelming feeling among those remaining in the Leafs dressing room Thursday. The loss was disappointing. The way in which it transpired was more disappointing.

“If you had told our guys at the start of the series, it’s 2-2 and we’re going to a best of three, they’d all do a cartwheel if they knew how. I couldn’t do it. I’d hurt my back,” Babcock said.

“We’re in a great situation. … Let’s enjoy the atmosphere. Let’s enjoy the playoffs. So let’s compete …

“I don’t think you have to trick yourself. I think if you’ve been around at all, and you know how much fun winning is, there’s no tricking yourself. It’s just the greatest thing. You get to play hockey right now. These are bonus games. You have to earn the right to keep playing.

“I told them, the greatest thing about this league and this time of year is you have to earn the right to keep playing. Everyone else goes home. Why wouldn’t you want to play? Nothing greater than doing this. It’s the most fun you can have.

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The winner and loser of Mike Babcock’s post-Detroit decision comes into sharp relief as the Sabres’ axe falls

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